State Rep. Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston), who hosted the event, said during her remarks before Clinton’s speech that she was surprised by the turnout.

“We put out the call. We didn’t know who would come, and it is so exciting to see so many of you here because we all want to be together when we hear this historic speech tonight,” she said.

Before Hillary Clinton became the first woman to accept a major political party’s presidential nomination Thursday night, attendees young and old milled around the crowded pub and had the opportunity to talk with Gabel, Sen. Daniel Biss (D-Evanston) and Cook County Commissioner Larry Suffredin, who also spoke during the event.

“I don’t think you need me to tell you what the stakes of this election are,” Biss said.

In addition to remarks about the national political landscape, Biss, Suffredin and Gabel all made references to Gabel’s re-election campaign.

Gabel ran unopposed in the Democratic primary earlier this year and will be running against Republican Jessica Tucker, who also ran unopposed, for the 18th District seat.

“For all of us up here, only one of us is on the ballot this November,” Suffredin said. “We need to make this the year of the woman: It’s Hillary and Robyn Gabel.”

Once the speech began, the pub quieted down as people gathered around TVs, the murmur only broken by cheers scattered throughout Clinton’s address.

“We had no idea who was going to show up and we are now sitting in a room of a hundred people,” Gabel told The Daily. “This just shows you the enthusiasm and inspiration that people are feeling from the Democratic Convention.”

During her remarks before Clinton’s speech, Gabel also made some comments about U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who spoke at the convention hours before Clinton’s final acceptance.

“We need to also fight for Tammy Duckworth,” Gabel said. “It’s going to be be a very close race, so we need to do everything we can.”

Duckworth, who is running against U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill), spoke about her debt to her fellow soldiers that saved her life when her helicopter was shot down in 2004 while she was on duty with the U.S. Army in Iraq before criticizing Donald Trump for his comments regarding Russia and Clinton’s deleted emails.

“By the way, Donald Trump, I didn’t put my life on the line to defend our democracy so you could invite Russia to interfere in it,” she said. “You are not fit to be Commander-in-Chief.”

Evanston resident Alex Morgan said events like the watch party serve an important function for the Evanston community.

“These events are great rallying points for Democrats to come together … (and) get engaged with the campaigns that are right here in Evanston,” he said.